


Sundaes for Lisa

by captaincastle



Category: Daredevil (TV), The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-15
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2019-03-16 01:31:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13625727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captaincastle/pseuds/captaincastle
Summary: Karen soothes Frank on the anniversary of Lisa's birthday.





	Sundaes for Lisa

**Author's Note:**

> posting my old writing :)

The moment Frank stepped into Karen’s apartment that night, she knew something was wrong.

He leaned against the doorway of her bedroom, his head hanging low.

“Frank?” Karen was sitting in bed, her laptop in her lap, when she saw him.

He sunk to his knees, his eyes still facing the floor. Karen jumped out of bed and quickly walked over to him. Without a word he reached out for her. He clutched her waist and pulled her to him. His buried his face into her stomach, and wrapped his arms tightly around her hips.

“Frank?” she said again. Her fingers ran through his short hair, and she gently tilted his head back so he would look at her. A large bruise was under his eye, his forehead had a cut on it. But it wasn’t his wounds she was worried about. He’d had worse.

It was him.

His eyes looked so sad and so heavy. His eyes carried the weight of what they’d seen. She knew it was different tonight than other nights.

“Do you want to tell me?”

Frank held her gaze, his arms still tight around her waist. He didn’t speak.

“Frank it’s ok. You don’t have to. Let’s get you a shower. I’ll make you some coffee if you want.”

He shook his head, “No coffee.” She knew something was wrong if he turned down coffee.

Frank slowly stood and winced a little when he saw Karen. Her pajama shorts, her t-shirt, and her legs were stained with the blood he had on him.

“Guess I’m joining you then.” she shrugged and turned to go start the shower in the bathroom. Frank followed quietly behind her, a look of pain was still on his face.

Once in the shower, Karen washed her thighs and then cleaned up Frank. It was like he was numb. She knew that feeling but she didn’t see much with Frank.

She was in the middle of washing off his chest when his hand grabbed her wrist. She looked up at him and saw his eyes brimming with tears.

“Are you sure you’re ok?”

“Just missing my girl. It’s my little girl’s birthday today.” he sniffled.

“Tell me about her.” Karen said as she made Frank turn so she could wash his shoulders.

“She, uh ha, she loved her birthdays. She always got shy at the parties though. She’d hide behind my leg, I could barely walk she’d be clinging so tight. Then when her friends would get there she’d forget she was scared and start playing." Frank pauses for a beat and smiles. "One year I was overseas and I couldn’t be there and I just felt sick. I called her and told her I loved her but it wasn’t the same. And by then she was too old to hide behind me, but I wanted to be there in case she did. We had our little traditions. Her mom and I would make her ice cream sundaes for breakfast. She always got brain freeze," Frank laughs remembering. "and every year I’d tell her to eat slow but she just laughed and said ‘it’s so good daddy.’ She’d kiss my cheek and get chocolate syrup all over me." 

He pauses again, breathing deep.

"Tonight, walked past an ice cream shop and it just all came back.”

Karen teared up as Frank spoke. She’d finished washing his back, but continued to rub his back softly. His shoulders are so broad and she enjoys feeling his warm skin under her fingers. She felt him relax as she massaged his back muscles.

He turned back around to her. The tears in his eyes were gone, but he still looked sad.

“Didn’t mean to make you cry.” he said seeing the tears in her eyes. He wiped them away with his thumbs.

“Do you feel any better? I mean..considering.” Karen asked softly. Frank still held her head in his hands.

He pulled her face close to his and kissed her softly. “Considering? Yeah, ‘m fine.” Frank said as he pulled away. Karen saw the little twinkle in Frank’s eyes. He still looked sad, and he probably always will have that weight, but he still smiled softly at her.

“Why no coffee tonight?” Karen asked as she turned off the shower.

He shrugged, but that gave Karen her answer. He’s tired. She knows he wants to sleep, and knows he doesn’t sleep sometimes.

They dried off and dressed in silence. There wasn’t much else to say.

Karen laid down and leaned against the headboard. She wanted to read a little before she went to sleep. Frank collapsed on the bed, and laid as close to Karen as possible. His laid on his side, his back pressed to Karen.

“Frank.” she said softly.

“Sorry.” he said and scooted over.

“No-” she stopped him, “I wasn’t saying you were too close, I was gonna say you weren’t close enough.”

Frank rolled over enough to look at her, he rose an eyebrow in question.

“Come here.” she said setting her book down on her bedside table.

“Yes ma’am.” He rolled over, but then sat up unsure of what she wanted.

“Here.” she leaned forward and pulled Frank down on top of her. His head rested on her chest. She could feel his body tense on top of her, like he was worried he’d crush her.

“Frank. Relax. How many times do I have to tell you that you aren’t hurting me.” 

“Just being careful.” Frank mumbled into her chest. But he did as she asked and relaxed. He was heavy on her, but she didn’t care. His arms slid under her, and he held her tight. She sighed, she was supposed to be comforting him, but she was being comforted. She ran her fingers though his damp hair, slid her hands under his t-shirt to rub his shoulders.

Karen thought Frank had fallen asleep, but when he poked her sides to tickle her a little she knew that was not the case. She giggled and smiled when she saw him smile.

“Your heart.” Frank mumbled.

“What about it?” she asked suddenly nervous.

His hands started to slid up under her tank top, his fingers lightly stroking the skin on her back. He moved his head up just a little so his mouth was level with the expanse of skin exposed from her tank top.

Frank looked up, his eyes dark, “I heard your heart skip when I touched you.”

“I’m not afraid.” Karen said, taking his meaning wrong.

“Didn’t say you were ma’am.” he teased and leaned down to suck a hickey on her chest, “but you should be.” Karen was about to laugh because she knew he was joking, but her laugh got caught in her throat when Frank started kissing her neck. He growled into her skin, and she clutched his shoulders. He kissed his way up to her lips. He kissed her lazily over and over. He kissed a trail back down, and rested his head on her chest again. Karen could tell he was getting sleepy now. Normally he would have continued, but Karen could tell by the way he was slowing down, his exhaustion was catching up with him.

“We’ll finish this later.” he whispered into her skin, “promise.” Karen's heart was aching. Frank has pain in his heart and he doesn't know what to do with it. All these fractions of memories from the past. But he's making new ones with Karen. He kisses her to make her smile - he's hurting but at least he can make her happy for the moment. And she understood. So she rubbed his hair and shoulders repeatedly to calm him. His head was still on her chest and hearing her steady heartbeat - he was soon lulled to sleep.

Karen barely heard Frank whisper a ‘thank you’ before he started snoring lightly against her skin.


End file.
